Lover in the Rough

By: Elizabeth Lowell

Narrated by: Laural Merlington

Reba Farrall was lost - until a kindly old gentleman took her under his wing and helped heal her shattered spirit. Now her dearest friend is gone, leaving her with a doubting, broken heart...and half-interest in a California gem mine.

But Chance Walker has burst into Reba's life - a daring adventurer who believes in nothing except the priceless uncut stones for which he searches the earth.

In the blistering heat of Death Valley - in the intoxicating presence of a jewel more exquisite than any he has ever seen - Chance must confront a dire peril that stalks the sad and sensuous beauty. For only he can save Reba Farrall from harm - and only she can teach him how to love.

©2007 Elizabeth Lowell (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Laural Merlington keeps the action going, quickening the pace during the headstrong lovers' fights. Their lovemaking is tantalizing as Merlington's voice grows rough and sensuous." ( AudioFile)

Classic Elizabeth Lowell

Please be aware upfront that this book was written in 1983. I’m a long time Elizabeth Lowell fan, and I bought this audiobook because I’ve read it many times in print and knew what to expect. This is a precursor to her modern romantic suspense novels. There’s some good mystery and suspense, but it’s mostly romance. So if you’re looking for one of her modern books, this one is not for you. I always think it’s unfair when listeners buy an audiobook without looking at the publication date, and then give it a low rating because they were expecting something from the 21st-century.

However, If you enjoy vintage romance every so often and you’re willing to read it in the context of the cultural norms of the time, you will love this book. I will say that for a book written in 1983, it’s incredibly progressive in how it portrays the FMC and the MMC. She’s an intelligent, well-educated business owner, and she doesn’t take any condescending arrogant guff from the MMC without pushing back and shutting it down. She holds her own in a crisis, and doesn’t give in to her hormones when the MMC is being an overbearing and arrogant. This book marks the beginning of Ms. Lowell’s fondness for making rare gems and artifacts central to her plots, which makes it much more interesting and fast paced than the typical 1980s romance novel.

This book is written in third person, so it only lends itself to a single narrator. I do wish the author had chosen someone different. This narrator is definitely talented, and she did a good job with what she had. But she wasn’t able to achieve the deeper, more masculine tone I would’ve hoped for in this particular MMC. I got used to it though, and I did enjoy her performance in every other regard.

Pretty Good Story

The story was good but the audio production wasn't, it cleared up in the later part of the book but the beginning was pretty bad. Laural Merlington has read many books, but her voice for the male lead was pretty awful. I had to check several times to be sure it was her reading the story. I gave a 2 star rating for the performance as it almost made me give up.
This story is about a gem mine, and the length the male lead was willing to go to acquire it. Well it would seem he wasn't the only one interested in the mine as it had been abandoned and forgotten for years. So enter the bad guys. It ends as one may suspect, but again it is the journey. Before purchase listen to the sample first.

My Thoughts

I LOVED IT!!!
OH Chance...What a Man!!!
What a Man!!! What a Man!!!
I LOVED their journey together, their partnership and trust. They broke down so many walls in so little time. This book was one of the best! 💜❤🧡

could not finish wasted my credit can not stand it

I love the writer, but the person going from girl to guy sucked as a guy voice. I had them were I'm just not liking the voice but can get through it and storyline was great I could not do it stopped started 3 times really tried. it was like watching movie with good plot story line but acting is so bad it just ruined hole experience. sorry I really love the writer I read her books all time though I have a free book I no I love her book but I just couldn't. what waist of free book.